Authors and Publishers: If you're interested in me reviewing a book for you, please email me at the address below. I'm also available to do author interviews, host giveaways, and anything else book-related. I will only review YA (young adult) books of all genres. I might do adult paranormal romance.I'm accepting ARCs. Sorry, NO E-Books for now, unless I can put them on my iPhone's Kindle and REALLY want them.
Thanks :)
Email me:
onceuponareview(at)gmail(dot)com

Friday, October 29, 2010

That was a ton of fun! Thanks so much for being part of the first ever YAspooktacular. We look forward to next year! And what about those stories?!? I hope you enjoyed them as much as we did.

If you don't know what I'm talking about, then you need to catch up. Go read the stories! You can click herefor story 1: Darkness and herefor story 2: A Soul Laid Bare.

Below you will find the entry forms to the grand prize packs for each story--and the one combined pack for all International people! Before you fill it out, double check this list and make sure you did everything you need to so you can enter.

1. Did youcommentoneverypiece of the story?There are 13. If there's not a comment on each piece and your name is chosen by random, then you won't win. That will be sad. So, you should go check and see. A complete list of all the blogs can be found here.

2. The final TRICK. You won't want to miss this one. Really. Click the picture and then come back here to fill out your form!

See? That was fun. Thanks to that person in that trick for taking on that linking challenge!

Here are the forms. Find the one that corresponds with the story you read and fill it out. If you did both, you'll have to do both forms. If you are international, yours is all the way at the bottom.

Monday, October 25, 2010

For the eighth stop of Catherine Ryan Hyde's book tour for Jumpstart The World, I got to interview the main character Elle! I absolutely love her, such a strong girl.

Catherine Ryan Hyde's new book Jumpstart the World came out October 12th. Other titles by Catherine include Pay It Forward, Becoming Chloe and The Day I Killed James, and more. Jumpstart the World is Catherine's 14th published novel! Don't forget to check below for your chance to win a copy of Jumpstart the World.

In Jumpstart the World, Frank tells Elle, “The world doesn’t always play by its own rules.” He says we all agree that there should be equality for everyone. But of course there isn’t. And we just let it slide. He says, “That’s why there’s such a thing as activism. Sometimes you have to jumpstart the world just to get it to be what even the world admits it should be.”

For 5 ways you can "Jumpstart the World" check out Catherine's blog post

1). For everyone who hasn’t had the chance to read Jumpstart the World, can you tell us a little about yourself?

Sure. My name is Elle. I just turned 16. And I live alone. Weird, I know. My mother pays the rent, but still. She moved me into my own apartment because of “The Donald.” Her idiotic new boyfriend. He seems to think he didn’t sign on to getting a teenager in “the package deal.” Like he’s buying my mom on the stock exchange or something. But you know what? It’s bullshit. I didn’t really even get on his nerves at home, because I hate him, so I stayed in my room with the door closed. It’s a…thing with him. I don’t know what kind of thing to call it. Like he has to win. So he said to my mom, “Choose. Her or me?” So guess who she chose? I know. It’s really sick.

In some ways it’s okay, though, because I’m not completely alone. I have some friends at the new school, Shane and Wilbur and The Bobs. They’re gay, and I’m not. Not that I care. It’s not a big deal. I just figure everybody thinks I’m gay now, too. But they did anyway, so…whatever.

And my best friend is Frank. He’s sort of more than a best friend, in a way. I mean, not really he’s not, but he is to me. He’s a lot older. And he lives with Molly, who’s also my friend. But I love him. I just do. He’s a trans man. That took a little getting used to on my part. Not because I have a problem with transgender. Because of my loving him the way I do. But I got over it. And I still love him. I think when you meet him, you’ll get why.

2) How would you describe your relationship with your mother?

(Strangled noise in throat.) That’s a hard one. That’s hard to know even where to begin. First of all, she doesn’t listen to me. At all. And she doesn’t see me. She looks at me. But I can tell she doesn’t see me, because she thinks I’m just like her. I’m nothing like her!

And I just can’t make her see about Donald. Like that cruise he decided to take her on. Big happy surprise! Right on my birthday! How obvious does he have to be before she gets it that it’s like a game with him, winning out over me?

And then, here I am living on my own like a grownup, and then she comes barging in now and then acting like she’s my mother and I have to listen. You can’t have it both ways. You’re either the mother or you’re not.

Crap. I probably never should have gotten started on that. Sorry.

3) What kind of music do you like to listen to? Do you have a favorite band?

My absolute favorite is Janis Joplin, which people think is stupid, because she died decades before I was born. But she’s so intense. Her voice is like…it’s like she doesn’t sing the lyrics, she screams them, and I can hear a piece of myself in those screams. When I listen to her, even if I don’t sing along, I feel like I’ve had a good screaming session myself. I feel emptied out. In a good way. It feels good.

4) For someone so young living by themselves, do you think it has made you grow up, emotionally?

I guess I thought I was all grown up, emotionally. But, looking back over the past few months, I see more about things. I don’t think living alone all by itself would have done it. I could have just curled in on myself more. I think it was Frank. And Shane, and Wilbur, and The Bobs. But mostly Frank. Knowing Frank grew me up a lot. (Wilbur helped, too. I love Wilbur.)

5) If you had to choose someone to play your role, if your story were a movie, who would it be?

Oh. Damn. I wish Clare Danes wasn’t too old now. If Clare Danes could somehow magically be the age she was in My So-Called Life…I don’t know, like a time machine or something…that would be perfect.

6) Can you tell us some surprising things no one would know just by looking at you?

That I’m scared. Most of the time. I act like I’m not, and I say I’m not. But I totally am. Sometimes I think I’m pulling it off and other times I think people see right through me. Also that I really do like to have people around, if they’re the right people. You know. A little company. I act like I don’t. But I think that’s just because of all those wrong people. But I get lonely, just like everybody. And no matter what I say, I really need friends. I guess we all do. Right?

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GIVEAWAY

Want a chance to win your own copy of Jumpstart the World?Just comment below with your email address and I will select one person at random.

Sunday, October 24, 2010

Title: Through Her EyesAuthor: Jennifer ArcherPublished: April 5th, 2010Pages: 383 (ARC)Rating: 5 flowersBlurb:Every ghost has a story to tell.

The last place Tansy Piper wants to be is stuck in Cedar Canyon, Texas, in the middle of nowhere, with a bunch of small-town kids. But when her mother decides to move to the desolate West Texas town, Tansy has no choice but to go along. Once there, Tansy is immediately drawn to the turret of their rickety old house, a place she soon learns has a disturbing history. But its the strange artifacts she finds in the cellar--a pocket watch, a journal of poetry, and a tiny crystal--that have the most chilling impact on her.

Tansy soon finds that through the lens of her camera, she can become part of a surreal black-and-white world where her life is intertwined with that of mysterious, troubled Henry, who lived in the same house and died decades earlier. It seems their lives are linked by fate and the artifacts she found, but as Tansy begins spending more and more time in the past, her present world starts to fade away. Tansy must untangle herself from Henry's dangerous reality-- before she loses touch with her own life forever.

My Thoughts:

THROUGH HER EYES is a captivating story that mixes paranormal and contemporary aspects together creating a truly unique premise.

On Goodreads it says that the book will come out in hardcover and is 240 pages. But I really hope that is a mistake since the ARC is exactly 383. I can't imagine the story being a page less!

The Prologue is amazing enough to capture the readers attention, it sure got mine! The characters are well-written and realistic. I found myself really relating to Tansy in different ways. Her family moves around a lot so she never stays in one place for more than a year.The setting itself was spot on. I have lived in the Texas Panhandle for most of my life so Jennifer Archer definitely does an awesome job when it comes to introducing the setting to her readers.

Jennifer Archer's writing is absolutely beautiful. I found myself immersed in the story because of the very detailed writing. It is almost poetic. The plot was another thing I loved and the way that Archer switches to the different time period (Henry's) is brilliant. I don't want to give too much away since the book doesn't comes out for another 6 months but I will say that you definitely do not want to miss out on this book or more from Jennifer! Read it as soon as you can!

This is Jennifer Archer's first young adult novel but she has previously published more than 10 adult books.

Hey everyone! Dying to read more of the first YA Spooktacular story, DARKNESS? Well I have part 5 for you!

Before we get started with my part, just a reminder that on October 29th, the grand prize packs will up for grabs! We have two of them--one for each story--and one for internationals. To enter them you must comment on every post in the story you are reading. We will be checking! When that day comes, you'll have to fill out an entry form here on my blog or on this one. You may enter for both Prize Packs by reading both stories! You can win extra entries and extra prizes along the way by clicking on the TRICK or TREAT buttons that you see. All of the ToTs are optional but a great chance to win more prizes and entries! For all the rules, the full rundown click HERE.

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Story 1, part 5 - written by Jennifer Archer

“Anna! You’re early,” he whispered. Jeremy dug his fingernails into the palms of his hands, but the pain didn’t squelch his desire for the taste of the nectar that pulsed through her veins. “How long have you been waiting?”

“Not long. Five minutes at the most. I wasn’t sure you’d come.”He gazed down into her wide, green eyes – so innocent, so pure, so trusting. Why couldn’t she understand that danger lurked in the shadows? Loving him made her all the more vulnerable to his prowling, ravenous brethren, yet she refused to succumb to their threat. Or his.It had been Anna’s request that they meet here, at the third headstone on the second row, an hour before dawn. Jeremy had panicked when her message arrived. He left early, intent on arriving before her, intent on making certain no others had learned of their planned rendezvous and waited to steal Anna’s light before he could stop them.Jeremy pulled her to him and buried his face in her silken hair. He breathed in her orchid scent, aching to taste her. “I came only to tell you goodbye. I’m leaving the city in the morning.”

Leaving you -- the only light I love, he thought. Dooming myself to complete and utter darkness to save you . . . to save the only remaining shred of my dignity.

She pulled back, the moonlight illuminating her pale porcelain skin and the startled flash of her eyes. “Leaving? But, why?”“Because you won’t listen to my warnings,” he whispered. “And I’m not certain how long I can resist you.”Anna’s face softened as she cupped his cheek in her palm. “I’m not afraid of you, Jeremy.”“That’s what worries me,” he said in a strangled voice. Hating himself, he turned away, unable to hold her gaze. “I’m of the devil. I’ll only end up hurting you if I stay . . .”“No.” Her fingers warmed his icy chin as she coaxed him to look at her again. Smiling, Anna said, “I know your heart as well as my own. That’s why I asked you to meet me here – so that I can show you why I’ve no need to be afraid.”

She took his hand and led him closer to the third headstone. It was larger than the others and adorned by an ornate cross overgrown with tangled, winding vines. Pausing at the base of it she said, “Look, Jeremy.”

He followed her gaze to the inscription on the crumbling headstone, and his breath caught.

Saturday, October 23, 2010

I am so excited that YA author, Jennifer Archer, is participating in our YASpooktacular event! Tomorrow, her part of the story (part 5) will be posted up on my blog so make sure to stop by and read it!

And don't forget to enter one of our "TREATS" to win an ARC of her 2011 debut, THROUGH HER EYES. It will be released by HarperTeen in April, 2011.

Tomorrow I will also be putting up my early mini-review of THROUGH HER EYES. I will wait a little closer to release date to put my full review up.

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Through Her Eyes by Jennifer Archer

Genre: Young Adult

Publishes: April 5th, 2011

Publisher: HarperTeen

Sixteen-year-old Tansy Piper moves with her grandfather and her mother, a horror writer, to the setting of her mother's next book--a secluded house outside of a tiny, desolate West Texas town. Lonely and upset over the move, Tansy escapes into her photography and the dark, seductive poems she finds hidden in the cellar, both of which lure her into the mind and world of a mysterious, troubled young man who died sixty years earlier.

Friday, October 22, 2010

Amy from My Over Stuffed Bookshelf is hosting a really awesome Re-Create a Cover contest! It is for Rachel Caine's new book, GHOST TOWN! I absolutely LOVE The Morganville Vampire series so I couldn't pass this up!

Today is the start of the first ever YA Spooktacular event, TALES FROM UNDER THE GRAVE!!

On October 29th, the grand prize packs will up for grabs! We have two of them--one for each story--and one for internationals. To enter them you must comment on every post in the story you are reading. We will be checking! When that day comes, you'll have to fill out an entry form here on my blog or on this one. You may enter for both Prize Packs by reading both stories!

You can win extra entries and extra prizes along the way by clicking on the TRICK or TREATbuttons that you see. All of the ToTs are optional but a great chance to win more prizes and entries! For all the rules, the full rundown click HERE.

If you don't know how this whole event works, here's the gist. We've compiled some great authors (known and aspiring) to write a spooky story. One author starts by writing 200-800 words, and then another adds. On and on until it ends. (Only, times it by two since there are two stories!) Basically...it's 7 days, 2 stories and more prizes than you can count! It all starts now.

Only TWO parts of each story will be posted every day so make sure the check back the next day to read the next two parts!

Story 1 is called DARKNESS and the amazing author Heather Brewer starts it off! To read it, visit Danielle's blog (Frenzy of Noise) HERE.

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

~ Grab your current read~ Open to a random page~ Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page~ BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)~ Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

HEY GUYS! I know everyone is dying to read A TOUCH MORTAL by Leah Clifford, so I decided to do have my Teaser Tuesday on it!

My Teasers:

"Tippd off balance, his hands flailed through the empty air. There was no sound in the moment before gravity took over, when time froze, when she looked at him, where their eyes met.

Sunday, October 17, 2010

YAY! The first annual (hopefully) YA Spooktacular: Tales From Under the Gravestarts this Friday. We are so excited. Now it's time to share some awesome information with you.

What is the YA Spooktacular? Stories! We have compiled TWO spooky YA stories by some of your favorite authors, debut authors and aspiring writers. You will get to trick-or-treat to other blogs and follow the story of your choice--or even both stories! At the end of the stories, you will have a chance to enter to win a grand prize pack! (We will even have a Book Depository gift card for international participants to win!)

Beware. Some of the blogs may contain a "Trick" or "Treat" along the way. These ToTs will give you the chance to earn extra entries into the grand prize giveaway and to win some more great prizes! Some of them will require nothing and some may cost.....your soul! muahhahahaha.

Ok. Not really. But the tricks are tricky! It's going to be a blast.

The rules are pretty simple:

*You must comment on EVERY post in a story to be eligible to win the grand prize pack.*You MAY enter for both stories.*The forms are a must to be entered.*Winners will be selected at random.

We're so pumped about this event. We hope that you are too! Follow the hashtag on Twitter #YAspooktacular to get teasers that lead up to the story premiere on Friday, October 22. The last pieces of the stories will be posted on the 28th. The prize packs will go up on the 29th and the contest closes on the 31st. Basically, clear your calendar!

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Here is the list of bloggers that are hosting the parts of the story for us! You can follow them to make sure you are ready for the story.

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Time to pop in your favorite Halloween movies and chow down on yummy candy! I absolutely love this time of yeae, some of my favorite movies are always playing on TV. Like Hocus Pocus! Who doesn't love that movie?

Of course, Nightmare Before Christmas goes on the list! My all-time FAVORITE!

And my future husband from Queen of the Damned, Lestat (Stuart Townsend)!

I know I have been slacking, again, with updates and reviews but I have been extremely busy. *sigh* Life. Also, I am getting ready for the YA Spooktacular Event, TALES FROM UNDER THE GRAVE.

I have been busy reading also!! I'm saving some paranormal reviews to put up during the event so I haven't completely forgot about that either. ;) Next week we will be posting little teasers for TALES FROM UNDER THE GRAVE, so make sure to follow #YASpooktacular on twitter!

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Today I have the priviledge of introducing the author of the KNIGHT ANGELS series, Abra Ebner, who is stopping by on her book tour to do an interview!

The second book in her KNIGHT ANGELS series, Knight Angels: Book of Revenge , comes out this month!

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ABOUT ABRA EBNER

Abra Ebner was born in Seattle where she still lives. Growing up in the city, as well as the mountains of the North Cascades at her family cabin, has granted her the experience of a life full of creativity and magick. Her craving for adventure has taken her into the many reaches of the forest, instilling in her the beauty of a world not our own, in a place where anything can happen and will. Her studies in Australia, as well as travels to England, Scotland, Germany, and Switzerland, have also played as a colorful backdrop to her characters, experiences and knowledge.

Believe in a place where eternal love, magic, beauty and adventure are just the beginning.

Obtained her Bachelors of Arts degree in Design from Washington State University. She studied Art History extensively, and uses a lot of that knowledge when considering her books.

She graduted with Honors, including one semester spent at the Queensland College of Art in Australia.

I got started writing journals when I was really young. I have tons of them now, and I love thumbing through the stories from time to time. Let me tell you, I was boy crazy as a teen, ha ha. I had hundreds of love interests! It kept my journals full! But anyway, what got me started writing stories was dread for a 9-5 job. I had one, oh yes, I had a quintessential dream job, benefits, retirement, and paid vacation, but I hated normalcy, and I always have. My drive to get out of that encouraged me to put the many stories in my head on paper. Now, I can't imagine doing anything else. I love the task of creating. I was put here to create, and that's just what I'll do!

Q) How did you come up with the idea for Knight Angels?

Knight Angels was a natural story for me to write. When I was seventeen, my on again off again boyfriend died in a car crash. Since then I've often thought of angels and love. Knight Angels was my opportunity to tie off some inner frayed ends I still had over the event. Writing as therapy.

Q) Was it easy writing in multiple point of views?

No. I get so confused. The worst is when the editing begins and I read the story about once a day. Everything bleeds together. I think it's would be easiest to write like this if I never slept, never put the computer down, and never stopped telling myself who's voice I was on. I guess the reprieve is having all my characters be so different. That helps me keep things straight, in a way. Character voice is a powerful tool.

Q) Do you relate to any of your characters?

I relate the most to my main character, and in the case of Knight Angels, that means many. I think that each main character is a different side of my personality. I've always been a bit of a chameleon, dated the popular kid, friends with the snowboard rats, and bratty with the horse girls. I did a lot of activities growing up, and each came with their own set of friends. personalities, and expectations. I guess I learned a lot about a lot, at least in terms of people.

Q) What is your writing process like?

It's pretty straight forward. I start with an idea of which usually keeps me entertained the nights my husband snores until three a.m.. Within that time, I usually come up with a few strong opening sentences that I ingrain in my head or type feverishly into the iPhone plugged into the wall with a cord too short (meaning I lean awkwardly, and for no real reason do I do this except that my sleeping husband tends to sleep talk/walk if he senses the light of the phone screen in his sleeping vicinity, and I'm really bad at charging my phone during the day, so it has to remain plugged if it hopes to live). The next day I then start writing the story, and it grows from there. I don't like outlines, they feel restrictive.

Q) Are there any other projects you are working on?

There are! I have a children's book I've written and am now illustrating. I went to art school, and have always loved pencil drawings. It's been a long term goal of mine to do this for a while. Then, I also have another paranormal love story that's sort of taken my breath away. It's a short story, but one I couldn't stop thinking about for weeks on end. I figured this was a sign. It's a unique, extremely different kind of story that breaks the character mold. I'm very excited to release it next year. Right now, I call it "Ladybird, Ladybird..."

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AVAILABLE NOW!

Knight Angels: Book of Revenge by Abra EbnerGenre: Young Adult FictionReleases: October 2010Publisher: Oak Creek Publishing

New characters, New world, but old enemies. Emily struggles to ignore a new friend with emotions that temp her, Wes delves deeper into his past and family while finding friendship isn't reserved for the human race alone, Jane finds out her dear Max isn't what he seems, Gregs friendships cost him more than he expected, and Max forgets that the truth is best. But then again, someone always has to be the liar...Emotional baggage, begrudged enemies, and the bitterness that comes when the honeymoon of their friendship fades...Will the love survive, or as it all just a game?

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Get the first book in the KNIGHT ANGELS series, Book of Love, in stores at: